


Something on Your Mind

by TunnelScreamer



Category: Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal Series - J.M. Lee, The Dark Crystal (1982), The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Dreamfast, F/M, Holding Hands, Onica mentioned, Periss is all talk, Tappa the crystal skimmer, spider Tavra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:41:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26707660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TunnelScreamer/pseuds/TunnelScreamer
Summary: Naia and Amri share a moment of quiet as they travel through the Crystal Desert. They have long journey ahead. There are still fires to light and the resistance to rally. While the other's rest, they take some time to practice sword fighting together.
Relationships: Amri/Naia (Dark Crystal)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Something on Your Mind

She would never admit it, but she felt safe near Amri. It was more than just the way he, or rather they, had saved Onica. He was a shoulder to lean on, steady as a rock, a loyal friend. So it was no surprise that as they traveled over the sand of the Crystal Desert, Tavra settled quietly beside him. She sat unnoticed in his massive shadow. 

They passed swiftly over the barren expanse riding the Crystal Skimmer, Tappa. Ha’rar was a day’s journey away. It was enough time for them all to think on what was to come. There was nothing to do now but wait and plan. There were more fires to light. 

Up by Tappa’s head, Naia paced. Down below, in the hollow of the creature’s belly, the others prepared to sleep. Nearby on Tappa’s back, Amri and Periss sat. 

The task ahead didn’t weigh on Periss as it did the others. He was happily talking away to Amri as Tavra moved close. 

“Have you dreamfasted together?” she heard him say, leaning toward Amri. 

“No,” Amri replied, watching Naia. “Not that way,” his ears lowered, embarrassed by the question. 

“Do you want to?” Periss asked.

“I want to change the subject.”

Tavra sensed his pulse rate rise. The smallest changes were loud to her. Watching him with many eyes, she felt foolish for not seeing this before. He liked Naia. 

"You know Ha'rar is a big city,” Periss said.

"Then it will have to be a big fire," Amri responded. 

The desert wind whipped over the Crystal Skimmer. The hot air from the sands met the cold air of the coming night in gusts that shifted wildly. The breeze lashed at their clothes and played in their hair. 

Naia continued, back and forth, with a look of concentration. She took steady steps unbothered by the wind. Just as steady were Amri’s eyes, keeping watch over her. 

There were so many subtle changes Tavra sensed in his silence. She wondered what he was thinking. 

"Have you ever dreamfasted that way?" he asked.

"Many times my friend, " Periss bragged. "Girls adore my mind.” 

Tavra held in a laugh. She hoped Amri didn’t believe his empty songs. No one who had experienced it would talk about dreamfasting that way.

“I have to be careful though, anyone I share my memories with is in for a wild ride,” he continued. The Dousan grinned as the last setting sun shone on the silver tattoo on his cheek. 

"You need to just go for it," he continued, tilting his head toward Naia. The wind drowned out their voices so she couldn’t hear. "You just take your sweetling by the hand and say,  _ you look like you’ve got something on your mind, it should be me _ .”

Amri huffed, he looked at Periss with a slight sneer. “Yeah I don’t think so,” he said shaking his head.

"Trust me, it works,” Periss flashed his teeth in a smile. “I bet she’s thinking about it right now, she’s just too shy to ask.”

"Naia's not shy,” Amri said. 

His deep brown eyes got a distant look. Tavra was nervous he was considering Periss’s advice. She scurried up his side, climbing by his ear. They needed to stay focused. 

"Well let me know how it goes," Periss said with a smirk, as he stood and walked off to join the others below. 

Now she whispered in his ear, worried Amri might try something. "I was thinking we should take some time to train before it gets late," her tiny voice requested. 

Without a word he rose to his feet. 

"Where are you going? Come on, get your sword.” 

“I know it’s silly, I just,” he paused, “I wonder what she’s thinking.”

“Isn’t it clear? We have a difficult path ahead and Naia is worried. We have to fight now so that there will be time for other things later.”

Tavra expected to have to convince him, but Amri turned and walked toward Tappa’s tail. Tying back one side of his hair, he drew his sword from his belt. He held his posture straight and waited for direction from Tavra. 

That night they would work on lunges. He leapt forward, thrusting his blade into an invisible enemy, again and again. His hair caught the wind whipping like a banner. He was beginning to move like a paladin. Every time he made a misstep Tavra was ready to correct him, but without many corrections to make, she began thinking aloud.

"She's a good match for you," Tavra said. 

Suddenly his movements got stiff.

“For sparring I mean,” she clarified, “though Naia does have more experience with a blade, you're a quick learner.”

“Thanks,” he said awkwardly, “Amri the Quick Learner, that’s sure to strike fear into the skeksis.”

He was so carried away that he hadn’t noticed Naia approach with her dagger.

“Nice moves, can I join?” She said, now looking much less serious. 

Her tight jaw and narrowed eyes had relaxed. The angles of her face had softened and rounded. Tavra sensed other changes in Naia too. Small changes not as perceptible to a gelfling as to a spider. 

“If you think you’re ready, but it could be a wild ride” he joked. 

Tavra rolled her eyes hearing him repeat Periss’s words. 

Being near Naia seemed to put him at ease and his fighting became more natural. Naia practiced blocking each time Amri lunged forward. Their weapons came together in chimes and clangs, then they would step back and begin again. 

Sometimes Amri would look up to catch her looking at him. Their eyes would lock and Naia would laugh, which would make him laugh. Then he or she would look away, returning their attention to training. The skin by his ear became warm and Tavra felt suddenly like she was intruding.

“I’m going to go where I can better see your stance, keep practicing,” her voice tickled his ear as she hopped down from his neck and scurried off. He was on his own now.

“It’s not fair, it’s getting dark and you have an advantage” Naia shouted. 

“That might make us even,” Amri teased. 

He realized that, while thinking about her made him nervous, being near her made him happy. There was no need to rush anything because just being around her was enough. Maybe she felt it too, she was smiling a lot. 

Together they would fight the skeksis and someday they might have something more. He was still learning how deep this bond could go. Perhaps deeper than the roots of the Wellspring Tree, deep enough to share his memories and more. 

It was less a thought and more a feeling. Maybe she was feeling the same thing, and when they were ready and the time was right – THUMP!

Tappa took a bump and Amri watched as Naia lost her balance. For a moment she looked scared. 

In a panic he dove. It was too late to catch her. He landed on the deck by her side.

"Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine,” she replied, her voice a little shaky. They were so close. Amri remembered Periss’s advice. 

“You look so worried,” she chuckled, “did you think that fall would break me?"

"Oh, It’s not that. It's just, uh, you fell really hard and you might have hurt poor Tappa. Are you alright?" he asked, turning down toward the deck and rubbing the creature below them. 

They stayed a moment, Amri resting on his side and Naia on hers facing him.

“I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to Tappa,” he joked, gazing into Naia’s bright eyes. 

“Don’t be soft headed. You would find another way to Ha’rar,” Naia said with determination, knowing that they weren’t exactly talking about the Crystal Skimmer anymore. 

They had a job to do and tender feelings could wait. Amri rose to his knees and offered his hand to help Naia up. She didn’t need the help, but still, she slipped her hand effortlessly into his grip. The warmth of their palms pressed together. Even without a dreamfast there was a connected feeling. 

“Well I’m glad she’s ok.”

There was so much journey ahead and so much more to learn about each other. Their hands stayed linked even after they were back on their feet. They didn’t share the connection of a dreamfast but there was a trust that ran just as deep.

**Author's Note:**

> This is an extended scene from Tides of the Dark Crystal, with a few small details changed. I liked writing Tavra and Periss both trying to influence Amri. The YA books have some amazing characters that didn't make it into the show, especially Amri. They are definitely worth checking out! 
> 
> Thanks to my beta for giving this a quick read through!
> 
> Happy Drenchgrot week and thanks for reading!


End file.
